Suction cleaner



L. K. ACHESON sUcTIoN' CLEANER Filed April 2e, 1943 Ill ` llll Patented Jan. 8, 1946 l 2,392,716 sUo'rIoN CLEANER Louis K. Aches'on, North Canton, Ohio, assigner to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 26, 1943, Serial No. 484,513

3 Claims.

The present invention .relates to suction cleaners in general and more particularly to a new and novel arrangement of parts in a suctioncleaner. More specifically, the invention comprises a suction cleaner in which the dirt-ladenv air stream is drawn by the suction-creating means through an initial dirt separator of the centrifugal type including a rotating separating element and is exhausted by the suction-creating means into a iinal dirt separator, means being provided which clean the final separator and transfer the collected foreign material therefrom to the initial separator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner of the type incorporating an initial dirt separator having a driven centrifugal element and a final dirt separator. A still further object of the-invention is to provide a suction cleaner having a plurality of dirt separators, the first separator being of the impact separator type and the final separator being provided with cleaning means, the impact separator and the cleaning means both being actuated by the cleaner driving motor. Still another object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner of the type in which an initial dirt separator has its dirt-removing action supplemented by a final separator, the initial separator being of the impact type and there vbein-g continuously operated means which function to remove the collected foreign material from the iinal separator and to return it to the initialseparator. A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner of the type havingan initial impact separator from which air is drawn by suction-creating means which in turn exhausts the air in a substantially clean condition into a final separator, the final separator being provided with a rotary cleaning element which is driven by the main motor of the machine as is the impact separator. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed:

Figure l shows a longitudinal vertical section through a suction cleaner constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The usual modern cleaner embodies a` suctioncreating unit which draws'air from the surfacecontacting nozzle and moves it to a dirt-filtering unit which is permeable to air but impermeable to foreign material and therefore functions to restrain and filter the foreign material from the air` which escapes into the ambient atmosphere. This usual type of machine vhas the objection that the dust bag must be cleanedat intervals for if not cleaned the resistance to the flow of cleaning air through the machine becomes excessive. Cleaners have in the past been conl structed which incorporate mechanical dirt separating means rather than filters, but all of these machines have been characterized by the objection that they permit a small percentage of the foreign material passing therethrough to escape intothe atmosphere. VWhile this percentage of escaping foreign material is relatively small, yet it is noticeable to the operator and therefore objectionable. Should the-escape of this small percentage offoreign material be eliminated, the mechanical separator type of machine would have many advantages, for the mechanical separator need not be removed and cleaned in emptying foreign material from the machine. Instead it is necessary only to remove a dirt container or pan which is easily emptied.

The suction cleaner of the patent to Bible 2,247,472 illustrates a resognition of this problem and provides a solution which is a material advancement over the prior art. The Bible patent construction provides an initial dirt separator from which thecleaning air is drawn by the suction-creating means which in turn exhaust the substantially clean air into a final filter. To prevent the undue accumulation of foreign material in this iinal iilter there is-provided a manually operable filter-cleaning nozzle which is connectible to the intake of the initial dirt separator and which, when in operation, functions to clean the iinal separator and to re-convey the foreign material. therefrom into the initial separator.

The present invention represents an improve- I ment over the construction of kBible 2,247,472 and is a modification of the invention disclosed in applicants co-pending and co-iiled application, Serial No. 484,510. This cleaner comprises an improvement-over theBible construction in that means are provided .which continuously maintain the final filter in a clean vcondition and continuously return the foreign material from the final filter to the initial separator where it is removed, an agglomeratingaction having taken place. In the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed and claimed the initial. dirt separator comprises spring-pressed closure plate f'I I, functions to'v close that port' full lines in the drawing.

a Vmotor-driven centrifugal separator and, to-

gether with the nal filter-cleaning nozzle and the Y suction-creating unit is actuated by they main cleaning motor. Y Y

Referring again to the drawing it is seen that the invention comprises an outer cylindrical casing I. One end of casing I is closed by a cover 2 secured by aplurality of screws 3 and provided centrally with an exhaust port or outlet 4 adapted to seat the cleaner end of avdusting tool hose. The opposite end of the casing I is closed by a manually removable cover 6 which carries on its peripheral rim 1 an enclosing ring 8 which makes air-sealing contact with casing' I. An upwardlyY facingrdirtl container 9 extends forwardly from the lower side of the ring 3 and maybe made works in opposition to the more efficient fans 21 which tend to draw air therethrough and into the fan chamber' inlet 3-2, YSeparator element 36 functions to permit ther air to be drawn therethrough under the action of the fans 21 but preventsY dirt and foreign material fromV entering Y by driving it radially outwardly by contact when integrally therewith.- As in the case of'cover 2,.

cover 6 is provided with a port which functions in this case however as an intake and is adapted to seat a dusting tool. The port is indicated by the reference Ycharacter III andthe dusting tool I2 is shown attached in dotted lines. Cover 6 and the dirt container 9 are removablysecured; on and in the casing I bymeans ofY one on more manually releasable latch elements I3 one of which. is indicated in dotted linesv in Figure 1. Latches I3 may be ofthe'ordinary over-center pivoted type andreach is adapted to cooperate vwith a fixed; abutment I4V on the cover 5. For a reason which'will hereinafter be apparent a I 6 is pivotally mounted. at I1 upon the cover plate 6 and, in

the absence of a dusting tool attachedto the port as' illustrated in VThe cleanerVV body, which externally comprises the main cylindrical casing I and the covers 2 and 6, is mounted upon one ormore runners I9 which are suitably connected tothe casing I in any well. known manner to support it slidably upon the. floor. A flexible handle I8' is attached to tlve top of the cylindrical casing section I and provides means by which the operator can lift the'machine from place to place if he desires; 1

A transversely extending plate' 2| divides the casing into an initial'dirt separator chamber22 which is closed to the remainder ofthe interior of the casing I and in which is positioned'the dirt container 9. Mounted 0n the plate 2IY on the side oppositey the dirt" chamber 22 is a fan chamber 23 and a motor casing 24, The fan chamber 23' and the motor casing V24 may be made unitary or may be made of a'plurality of casing's, this being a matter ofl design, but are mounted on the plate 2 I. r l Y A suitable'driving motor is positionedwithin casing 24 and one end of' its shaft 25 extends completely through fan chamber 23, where it carries spaced fan Velements 21, while its opposite V,end adjacent casing 24 extends into a reductionV gear casing or box 28 whichcontains suitable speedreducing mechanism of any suitabledesign and which may be of the typeillustrated in my aforementioned co-pending application, Serial No.

484,510. Fanfchamber 23 is provided' with suitableexhaust outlets 2 9 and a stationarydeflector 3f divides the unit Yinto first and second' stages', thei-lrst stage beingrconnected to the dirt chamberrzz by the fan chamber inletport 32 formed inthe wallZI. r Y Y The motor shaft 26, after extending through a suitable supporting bearingr33 mounted on the it' attempts to enter with the air. To prevent leakage adjacent the wall 2l the peripheral edge of. theseparator 36 is provided with a plur-ality of' radially extending plates 3l which create an outwardly directed air-moving force.

Within the casing I and at a point spaced from the centrally loc-ated wall 2l is a second transverse plate or wall 4I which is also iixedly securedV in place. Between plates 2I` and 4I'extends a cylindrical lter element; 42 in substantially concentric relationship with respect tothe motor shaft 26, althoughl this is not ofi the essence. Filter 42 is iixedly` carried a-t one end byv a flanged ring 43 rigidly secured to the plate 2I and at its opposite end by a similar nanged ring 44 which is secured to plate 4I by a plurality of manually operable nut and bolt assemblies 46 which make it possible', by turning thel nut element, to take up any slack orr play in the lter 42. The lter 42 forms the enclosing wall of a filter chamber 41 within which are positioned lboth the fan chamber 23 and the motor casing 24 and it represents the only escape 'for air which has been drawn through the fan unit andexhausted through the exhaust outlet V29 thereof. Around the final filter 42 and within the casing I is what may be termed the discharge chamber or passageway 48 which is open through ports 43 Y in the end wall 4I into the cover and so to'` the exhaust port 4.

As the anal nner 42 is positioned within theA ing bushing 54 in the plate 4I, a coil spring 56 being provided concentrically thereof to exert a pressureV between wall 4I and conduit seat 52 to Y prevent any unnecessary play. Exteriorly of the nal filter chamber 41 and in alignment with the conduit 53 the wall 4I carries a nipple 51 to which is attached a conduit 58 which extends transversely acrossl the machine and back through sealed openings 6I and 6-2 in walls 4Il and 2I, respectively, to open into Ythe initial separating chamber 22. It is clear that the suctionfpresent within the initial chamber 22' as a result ofthe suction-creating power of the fans 2-1` in rotation will be eifective' within Vthe'iilter-cleaning nozzle 5 I. Y i

As in the usual suction cleaner a manually operable switch is provided which is indicated at 63 and through which the incomingv current-conducting leads 64 extend on their way to the driving motor positioned within casing 24. The clos- Conduit seat' 52 is provided with a aaeavie ing of switch 63 effects the passage of current to the driving motor and simultaneously puts into operation the suction-creating means, the impact separator, and the lter-cleaning means for the nal filter.

The suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention is easily operated and foreign material collected therein is readily removed. In operation an ordinary dusting tool unit would be attached to the intake port II and such unit would ordinarily be provided with a cleaning nozzle at its outer end. The closing of the motor switch 83 eiects the rotation of the driving motor, and the shaft 25 in its rotation causes the fans 21, the impact separator 36, and the filter-cleaning nozzle 5I `all to rotate. The suction created by the fans 21 is effective through the fan chamber inlet 32 to create a reduced pressure within the initial separating chamber 22 and cleaning air is drawn through the dusting tool unit, through the port I I, the valve I6 being held in the open position by the inserted cleaner end of the dusting tool hose as shown in the drawing, and the cleaning air and any foreign material suspended therein is drawn into chamber 22. The air and foreign material is drawn toward the fan chamber inlet 32 but must of necessity pass through the apertures or ports in the rotating separator element 36 4before reaching that point. The air, less practically all f the foreign material carried thereby, does pass through the separator and enters the fan chamber. The foreign material particles, however, are thrown radially outward by the high speed rotation of the separator element and finally drop into the dirt container 9 which forms the bottom of the chamber 22. The cleaned air continues on its way through the rst and second stages of the fan unit and is exhausted into the final lter chamber 41 through the fan chamberV exhaust ports 29. From chamber 41 the air must pass outwardly through the nal lter element 42 which thereupon removes any foreign material which remains in the air stream. Upon leaving the chamber 41 the air enters the dis- L charge chamber 48 and continues on its way through ports 49 and exits from the cleaner through the exhaust port 4.

During this operation the iilter-cleaning nozzle I I hasg moved in cleaning relationship over the inner surface of the filter 42 at low speed having been actuated continuously by the speed-reducing means-within the casing 28. The reduced pressure effective within the initial chamber 22 is also present within the filter-cleaning nozzle 5I which is interiorly connected thereto through the conduit 58 and, as to that part of the iinal lter 42 which is contacted by the slot-like mouth of the nozzle 5I, the flow of air through filter 42 is reversed and it travels from the discharge chamber 48 inwardly through the filter and into the nozzle. From the nozzle it is drawn into the initial separating chamber 22 where it mingles with the air entering the machine for the rst time. This continuous movement of the ltercleaning nozzle over the nal separator keeps it in a cleaned condition and prevents building up of a back pressure which would reduce cleaning efficiency.

After extended use it will become necessary to empty the dirt container 9. To accomplish this the dusting tool hose I2 is first detached from the intake port I I, whereupon the spring-pressed closure plate I6 moves to the closing position.

The operator then releases the latch or latches I3 whereupon he can withdraw from the casing I the removable cover 6 and the dirt container 9 which is iixed thereto. In thisoperation the intake port II can well serve as a handle, escape of foreign material therethrough being prevented by the closed valve I6.

The foreign material can be emptied from the container 9 merely by inverting it, whereupon the entire removed assembly can be re-inserted and re-secured onto the casing I. Y

Should the operator desire to use the cleaner for blowing purposes a dusting tool unit would be attached to the exhaust port 4 so that air under pressure would pass through the dusting tool. In such an event, however, it would be necessary to attach a dusting tool element to the intake port iI in order to hold the closure plate I6 in open position so that air could be admitted to the machine,

I claim:-

1. In a suction cleaner of the type having an initial dirt separator including a rotary dirts'eparating element, suction-creating means to draw air from said initial separator, and a final dirt separator to receive air from said suctioncreating means; a dirt-removing unit to remove dirt from said final separator and to transport it to said initial separator and including a movable element, said unit functioning to reduce the back pressure of said Suction-creating means and thereby increase the air flow through said initial dirt separator, and a driving motor to actuate said separating element, said suction-creating mean's and said movable element.

2. In a suction cleaner of the type having an initial dirt separator including a rotary dirt-separating element, a driving motor having its shaft extended to carry said separating element, a suction-creating unit to draw air through said initial separator and including a fan carried by said shalt, and a final dirt separator to receiveair from said suction-creating unit; a dirt-removing unit to remove dirt from said final separator and including a movable element, said unit functioning to reduce the back pressure of said suctioncreating means and thereby increase the air flow through said initial dirt separator, speed-reducing means connecting said movable element to said shaft, said rotary dirt-separating element, said fan, and said movable element all being rotatable about the axis of said motor shaft.

3. In a suction cleaner of the type having an initial dirt separator including a rotary dirt-separating element, a suction-creating unit to draw air through said initial separator and including a fan, a motor having an extended shaft carrying said separating element and said fan, and a final dirt separator to receive air exhausted from said suction-creating unit including a cylindrical filter with its axis arranged parallel to said shaft; a iilter-cleaning nozzle movable over the surface of said filter to remove dirt from said lter to reduce the back pressure of said suction-creating means and thereby increase the air flow throughy said initial separator, air conducting means connecting said nozzle to said initial separator, power-transmitting speed-reducing means connecting said nozzle to said shaft, said rotary dirtseparating element, said fan, and said movable element all being rotatable about the axis of said motor shaft.

LOUIS K. ACHESON. 

